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Rhode Island becomes the 10th state where same-sex couples can marry!

Today, Rhode Island became the tenth state in the country to approve the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. This afternoon, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee will sign the marriage bill - which has been approved by the House of Representatives, the Senate, and again by the House - into law on the steps of the Rhode Island State House.

The freedom to marry will take effect in Rhode Island on August 1, 2013. This afternoon, during the final hearing and vote on the bill in the RI House (where the bill passed by a vote of 56-15), openly gay representative Frank Ferri celebrated the passage of the bill and explained that August 1st is his 32nd anniversary with his longtime partner Tony. He said that Speaker of the House Gordon Fox will officiate the wedding.

Once the marriage law takes effect on August 1, nearly 50 million Americans will live in a state where same-sex couples can marry.

Freedom to Marry was a founding member of Rhode Islanders United for Marriage, the broad coalition of civil rights organizations, faith institutions, and business leaders that worked so hard to pass the freedom to marry in 2013. In addition to the leadership with the coalition, Freedom to Marry has been the lead funder of the campaign, providing more than $250,000 to the effort in 2013.

Today Rhode Island - and now all of New England - has embraced the freedom to marry and lived up to our American promise of liberty and justice for all. That the entire Rhode Island Senate GOP caucus joined with a vast majority of Democratic lawmakers to live up to the state's values in voting for marriage will inspire more momentum in more states. It is time now for the Supreme Court to uphold these American values for all loving and committed couples.

While this victory is surely a moment to celebrate, we have so many more victories still to work toward: Same-sex couples are still denied the freedom to marry in 40 states. If you commit to standing with us in the coming weeks, we can win marriage in more states and end marriage discrimination once and for all.